Old/New Testament
20 And in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD and sat before me.
2 Then the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am asked, I will not answer you.”’
4 “Will you judge them, son of man? Will you judge? Make them understand the abominations of their fathers,
5 “and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up My Hand to the seed of the House of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up My Hand to them, and said, ‘I am the LORD your God,’
6 “on the day that I lifted up My Hand to them, to bring them forth from the land of Egypt, into a land that I had provided for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is pleasant among all lands,
7 “I, then, said to them, ‘Let every man cast away the abominations of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’
8 “But they rebelled against Me, and would not hear Me. No one cast away the abominations of their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I thought to pour out My indignation upon them, to accomplish My wrath against them, in the midst of the land of Egypt.
9 “But I acted for the sake of My Name, so that it would not be profaned before the heathen, among whom they were and in whose sight I made Myself known to them in bringing them forth from the land of Egypt.
10 “Now, I carried them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.
11 “And I gave them My Statutes and declared My Judgments to them. Which, if a man does, he shall live in them.
12 “Moreover, I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, so that they might know that I am the LORD Who sanctifies them.
13 “But the House of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My Statutes. And they cast away My Judgments, which if a man does, he shall live in them. And they have greatly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I thought to pour out My indignation upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.
14 “But I acted for the sake of My Name, so that it would not be profaned before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.
15 “Yet, nevertheless, I lifted up My Hand to them in the wilderness, so that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which was pleasant above all lands,
16 “because they cast away My Judgments and did not walk in My Statutes, but have profaned My Sabbaths. For their heart went after their idols.
17 “Nevertheless, My eye spared them, so that I would not destroy them, nor would I consume them in the wilderness.
18 “But I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the ordinances of your fathers or observe their manners or defile yourselves with their idols.
19 ‘I am the LORD your God. Walk in My Statutes, and keep My Judgments, and do them,
20 ‘and sanctify My Sabbaths. And they shall be a sign between Me and you, so that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’
21 “Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me. They did not walk in My Statutes or keep My Judgments, to do them (which, if a man does, he shall live in them), but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I thought to pour out My indignation upon them, to accomplish My wrath against them in the wilderness.
22 “Nevertheless, I withdrew My Hand for My Name’s sake, so that it would not be profaned before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.
23 “Still, I lifted up My Hand to them in the wilderness, so that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries,
24 “because they had not executed My Judgments but had cast away My Statutes and had polluted My Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.
25 “Therefore, I also gave them statutes that were not good and judgments in which they could not live.
26 “And I pronounced them unclean in their own gifts, in that they caused all that first opened the womb to pass through the fire, so that I might destroy them, so that they might know that I am the LORD.”’
27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the House of Israel and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed Me, grievously transgressing against Me.
28 “For when I had brought them into the land for which I lifted up My Hand to give to them, then they saw every high hill and all the thick trees. And they offered their sacrifices there, and they presented their offering of provocation there. They also made their sweet savor there and poured out there their Drink Offerings.
29 “Then I said to them, ‘What is the high place to which you go?’ And its name is called ‘Bamah’ to this day.”’
30 “Therefore, say to the House of Israel, ‘Thus says the LORD God: “Are you not defiled after the manner of your fathers? And do you not commit whoredom after their abominations?
31 “For when you offer your gifts, and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, until this day. Shall I answer you when I am asked, O House of Israel? As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “I will not answer you when I am asked.
32 “Nor shall that which comes into your mind be done. For you say, ‘We will be as the heathen, and as the families of the countries, and serve wood and stone.’
33 “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “I will surely rule you with a mighty Hand, and with an outstretched Arm, and with wrath poured out.
34 “And will bring you from the people and will gather you out of the countries to which you are scattered, with a mighty Hand and with an outstretched Arm, and with wrath poured out.
35 “And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people. And I will plead with you there, face to face.
36 “As I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you,” says the Lord GOD.
37 “And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and will bring you into the bond of the Covenant.
38 “And I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me. I will bring them out of the land where they dwell. And they shall not enter into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD.”
39 “As for you, O House of Israel,” thus says the Lord GOD: “Go, and everyone serve his idol, seeing that you will not obey Me. And no longer profane My Holy Name with your gifts, and with your idols.
40 “For there, on My Holy Mountain, on the high mountain of Israel,” says the Lord GOD, “all the House of Israel, and all in the land, shall serve Me. There I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.
41 “I will accept your sweet savor, when I bring you from the people and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered, so that I may be sanctified in you before the heathen.
42 “And you shall know that I am the LORD when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the land for which I lifted up My Hand to give to your fathers.
43 “And there you shall remember your ways, and all your works in which you have been defiled. And you shall judge yourselves worthy to be cut off, for all your evils that you have committed.
44 “And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for My Name’s sake and not after your wicked ways or according to your corrupt works, O you House of Israel,” says the Lord GOD.”’”
45 Moreover, the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
46 “Son of man, set your face toward the way of Teman, and drop your Word toward the South, and prophesy toward the forest of the field of the South,
47 “and say to the forest of the South, ‘Hear the Word of the LORD: “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Behold, I will kindle a fire in you. And it shall devour all the green wood in you, and all the dry wood. The continual flame shall not be quenched. And every face from the South to the North shall be burnt in it.
48 ‘And all flesh shall see that I, the LORD, have kindled it. It shall not be quenched.”’” Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, they say of me, ‘Does not he speak parables?’”
21 The Word of the LORD came to me again, saying:
2 “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, and drop your Word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,
3 “and say to the land of Israel, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I come against you, and will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut off both the righteous and the wicked from you.
4 “Seeing then that I will cut off the righteous and wicked from you, therefore My sword shall go out of its sheath against all flesh, from the South to the North,
5 “so that all flesh may know that I, the LORD, have drawn My sword out of its sheath and it shall not return anymore.
6 “Sigh, therefore, you son of man, as in the crushing of loins, and sigh bitterly before them.
7 “And if they say to you, ‘Why do you sigh?’ Then answer, ‘Because of the news. For it comes, and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be weak, and all minds shall faint, and all knees shall fall away, as water. Behold, it comes and shall be done,’ says the Lord GOD.”
8 Again, the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
9 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ Say, “A sword, a sword, both sharp and polished.
10 “It is sharpened to make a great slaughter. It is polished so that it may glisten. How shall we rejoice? It despises the rod of My son, as all other trees.
11 “And it has been given to be polished, so that it may be handled. This sword is sharp, and is polished, so that it may be given into the hand of the slayer.
12 “Cry and howl, son of man! For this shall come to My people. It shall come to all the princes of Israel. The terrors of the sword shall be upon My people. Strike, therefore, upon your thigh.
13 “For it is a trial. And what shall this be if the sword despises even the rod? It shall be no more,” says the Lord GOD.
14 “You, therefore, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together, and let the sword be doubled. Let the sword, which has killed, return a third time. It is the sword of the great slaughter, entering into their private chambers.
15 “I have brought the fear of the sword into all their gates, to make their heart faint, and to multiply their ruins. Ah, it is made bright! It is dressed for a slaughter.
16 Sharpen yourselves in the same direction! Go to the right or to the left, wherever your face is turned.
17 I will also strike My Hands together and cause My wrath to cease. I, the LORD, have said it.”
18 The Word of the LORD came to me again, saying:
19 “Also, you son of man, appoint yourself two ways for the sword of the king of Babel to come. Both of them shall come out of the same land. And make a map at the head of the way of the city,
20 “so that the sword may come to Rabbah of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the strong.”
21 And the king of Babel stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, consulting by divination, and made his arrows swift. He consulted with idols and looked at the liver.
22 At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains to open their mouths in the slaughter, and to lift up their voices with shouting, to lay engines of war against the gates, to cast a siege mound, and to build a fortress.
23 And it shall be to them as a false divination in their sight, for the oaths made to them. But he will call their iniquity to remembrance, to the intent that they would be taken.
24 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you have made your iniquity be remembered in discovering your rebellion, so that in all your works your sins might appear, because you have come to remembrance, you shall be taken with the hand.
25 “And you, prince of Israel, polluted, wicked, whose day has come in the iniquity of the end,
26 “thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Take away the turban and take off the crown. This shall no longer be the same. I will exalt the humble and will abase him who is high.
27 “I will overturn, overturn, overturn it! And it shall no longer be until He comes Whose right it is. And I will give it Him.’
28 “And you, son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to the children of Ammon and to their blasphemy:’ and say, “The sword! The sword is drawn forth, polished for the slaughter, to consume, because of the lightning,
29 “while they saw empty visions for you, and prophesied a lie to you, to bring you upon the necks of the wicked who are slain, whose day has come in the iniquity of the end.
30 “Shall I cause it to return into its sheath? I will judge you in the place where you were created, in the land of your habitation.
31 “And I will pour out My indignation upon you and will blow against you in the fire of My wrath, and deliver you into the hand of beastly men, skillful to destroy.
32 “You shall be in the fire, to be devoured. Your blood shall be in the midst of the land. You shall be remembered no more.” For I, the LORD, have spoken it.’”
5 Come now, you rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupt, and your garments are moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver are corroded. And the rust of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as if it were fire. You have heaped up treasure for the last days.
4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who have reaped your fields cry out (those which are fraudulently withheld by you). And the cries of those reapers are entered into the ears of the Lord of Hosts.
5 You have lived in pleasure on the Earth and been riotous. You have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6 You have condemned and have killed the just. And he has not resisted you.
7 Therefore brothers, be patient until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth (and has long patience for it) until he receives the early and the late rain.
8 Therefore, you also be patient, and settle your hearts. For the coming of the Lord draws near.
9 Do not groan against one another, brothers, lest you be condemned. Behold, the judge stands before the door.
10 My brothers, take the Prophets as an example of suffering adversity and of long patience, who have spoken in the Name of the Lord.
11 Behold, we count those blessed who endure. You have heard of the patience of Job and have known what end the Lord made. For the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
12 But before all things, my brothers, do not swear - not by Heaven, nor by Earth, nor by any other oath. But let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’, ‘no’, lest you fall into condemnation.
13 Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing.
14 Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church. And let them pray for him and anoint him with oil in the Name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick. And the Lord shall raise him up. And if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven.
16 Acknowledge your faults one to another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. For the fervent prayers of the righteous avail much.
17 Elijah was a man subject to similar passions as we are. And he prayed earnestly that it might not rain. And it did not rain on the Earth for three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again. And the heaven gave rain, and the Earth brought forth her fruit.
19 Brothers, if any of you have erred from the truth, and someone has converted him,
20 let him know that the one who has returned a sinner from wandering shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins.
© 2019, 2024 by Five Talents Audio. All rights reserved.